UN secretary-general to visit Haiti

UNITED NATIONS (CMC)—The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Haiti next Tuesday for a solidarity visit, UN Deputy Spokesman, Farhan Haq, announced Monday.He said that Guterres will meet men, women and children whose lives have been affected by violence and “will see firsthand the humanitarian and security challenges facing the country, as well as efforts by national authorities and the international community to restore stability and support the Haitian people”.Haq said that while in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country, the secretary-general will assess the support given by the United Nations to Haiti in facing its multidimensional crisis, including the logistical and operational support to the Gang Suppression Force, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2793.Heavily armed gangs control up to 85 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, severely restricting access to basic necessities and committing acts of extreme violence, including a recent surge in gender-based violence and sexual assault.The UN Security Council has authorised an expanded force, transitioning the previous Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a “Gang Suppression Force” (GSF) of up to 5,500 uniformed personnel. This force aims to neutralise gangs and secure critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and ports.Over 1.45 million people are internally displaced across the country, with 6.4 million Haitians requiring urgent humanitarian assistance.Guterres is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the country prepares for an election widely expected before year-end.Haq said that the secretary-general will travel to Haiti via the Dominican Republic, and while in Santo Domingo, he is expected to meet with national authorities before returning to New York on June 17.